Optical adaptor for mounting to a receptacle to optically couple connectorized optical cables

Abstract

An optical adaptor for mounting to a receptacle to optically couple connectorized optical cables comprises a coupling element to provide a passageway for inserting a ferrule of a first optical connector to terminate a first one of the connectorized optical cables and a ferrule of a second optical connector to terminate a second one of the connectorized optical cables to optically couple the first and the second connectorized optical cable. The optical adaptor further comprises a mounting element being mountable to the receptacle to hold the optical adaptor. The mounting element is configured to receive the coupling element.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical adaptor for mounting to a receptacle to optically couple connectorized optical cables, comprising:
 a coupling element to provide a passageway for inserting a ferrule of a first optical connector to terminate a first one of the connectorized optical cables and a ferrule of a second optical connector to terminate a second one of the connectorized optical cables to optically couple the first and the second connectorized optical cable, 
 a mounting element being mountable to a receptacle to hold the optical adaptor, the mounting element being configured to receive the coupling element and the mounting element has a second side with an opening to receive the second optical connector, wherein a section of an outer surface of the mounting element is formed as a shoulder located between the first side and the second side of the mounting element and the shoulder abuts on the receptacle when the mounting element is mounted to the receptacle; 
 wherein the mounting element comprises a securing means to mount the first optical connector to the mounting element 
 wherein the mounting element is configured to mechanically couple the first optical connector to the mounting element so that the ferrule of the first optical connector intrudes in the passageway of the coupling element at a first side of the coupling element, 
 wherein the coupling element has a second side to mechanically couple the second optical connector to the coupling element such that the ferrule of the second optical connector intrudes in the passageway of the coupling element. 
 
     
     
       2. The optical adaptor of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mounting element is formed as a hollow body having a first side with an opening to receive the first optical connector in the hollow body, 
 wherein the mounting element comprises a first alignment element extending from the opening at the first side of the mounting element into the hollow body of the mounting element, 
 wherein the first alignment element of the mounting element is configured to engage in an alignment element of the first optical connector to direct the insertion of the first optical connector to the mounting element. 
 
     
     
       3. The optical adaptor of  claim 2 , wherein the mounting element comprises at least one second alignment element to direct the insertion of the mounting element to the receptacle. 
     
     
       4. The optical adaptor of  claim 2 , wherein the mounting element is formed with an inner tube extending at a first side of the hollow body of the mounting element such that a gap for inserting a shroud of the first optical connector is formed between an outer wall of the mounting element and the inner tube. 
     
     
       5. The optical adapter of  claim 4 , wherein an alignment element is formed as a stay located in the gap between the outer wall of the mounting element and the inner tube. 
     
     
       6. The optical adaptor of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a sealing element to provide a sealing between the mounting element and the receptacle, 
 wherein the mounting element comprises at least one notch to dispose the sealing element. 
 
     
     
       7. The optical adaptor of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting element comprises a fixing element to fix the mounting element to the receptacle. 
     
     
       8. The optical adaptor of  claim 7 , wherein the fixing element is formed as a snap hook being configured to engage in a structure of the receptacle to fix the mounting element to the receptacle. 
     
     
       9. The optical adaptor of  claim 7 , wherein the coupling element comprises an abutment element being configured to engage the fixing element to the receptacle to fix the mounting element to the receptacle when the coupling element is disposed in the receptacle and the mounting element is mounted to the receptacle. 
     
     
       10. The optical adaptor of  claim 1 , wherein a securing means for mounting the first optical connector is disposed on an outer surface of mounting element. 
     
     
       11. The optical adaptor of  claim 10 , wherein the securing means is a bayonet locking mechanism located on the outer surface of the first side of the mounting element. 
     
     
       12. The optical adaptor of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling element comprises an alignment element to direct the insertion of the coupling element into the receptacle. 
     
     
       13. An optical assembly to optically couple connectorized optical cables, comprising:
 the optical adaptor for mounting to a receptacle to optically couple connectorized optical cables of  claim 1 , 
 a receptacle to hold the optical adaptor, the receptacle being formed as a hollow body to receive the coupling element and the mounting element of the optical adaptor. 
 
     
     
       14. The optical assembly of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the receptacle comprises a first alignment element being formed with a complementary shape related to the alignment element of the coupling element of the optical adaptor to direct the insertion of the coupling element into the receptacle, 
 wherein the receptacle comprises a second alignment element being formed with a complementary shape related to the second alignment element of the mounting element of the optical adaptor to direct the insertion of the mounting element into the receptacle. 
 
     
     
       15. The optical assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the receptacle comprises a spring element being configured to push the coupling element of the optical adaptor against the first optical connector when the first optical connector is mechanically coupled to the mounting element of the optical adaptor. 
     
     
       16. The optical assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the alignment element of the coupling element of the optical adaptor has a contact surface to support the spring element. 
     
     
       17. The optical assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the receptacle comprises an engagement area being formed to engage the fixing element of the mounting element to the receptacle when the coupling element and the mounting element are disposed in the hollow body of the receptacle.